American Society of Media Photographers

American Society of Media Photographers
Name	American Society of Media Photographers
Founded	1944
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	Manhattan, New York City
Location	United States
Membership	Photographers, illustrators, multimedia creators

American Society of Media Photographers is a professional association representing photographers and imaging professionals in the United States. Founded in 1944, it provides advocacy, contracts, education, and resources to members working in editorial, advertising, corporate, and fine art photography. The organization interfaces with legal institutions, cultural venues, corporations, and media outlets to protect photographers' rights and promote professional standards.

History

The organization was founded in 1944 amid the media expansion that followed World War II, contemporaneous with institutions such as Museum of Modern Art, Life (magazine), Time (magazine), National Geographic, and The New York Times that shaped mid‑20th century visual culture. Early leadership included practitioners who had worked for Look (magazine), Collier's, Popular Photography, and agencies like Black Star (photo agency) and Magnum Photos, engaging with publishers such as Condé Nast, Hearst Corporation, and Scripps‑Howard. Through the decades the society navigated technological shifts introduced by companies like Kodak, Polaroid, Canon Inc., Nikon Corporation, and later Adobe Inc., reacting to changes in distribution with outlets including Getty Images, Corbis, Reuters, Associated Press, and AFP. The group engaged with legislative developments at forums like United States Congress hearings and interacted with advocacy groups such as Electronic Frontier Foundation, Recording Industry Association of America, and Creative Commons on issues affecting intellectual property and licensing. In the digital era it addressed challenges posed by platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest, while collaborating with cultural institutions like Smithsonian Institution, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Library of Congress on preservation and access.

Organization and Membership

Governance is conducted by a national board and committees, modeled similarly to professional bodies such as American Bar Association, National Press Photographers Association, Society of Professional Journalists, and International Federation of Journalists. Membership categories reflect applicants from varied sectors, including editorial contributors to The Washington Post, commercial shooters for JPMorgan Chase, portraitists working for HarperCollins, and fine art exhibitors at venues like Tate Modern and Guggenheim Museum. Members collaborate with corporations like Apple Inc., Microsoft, Amazon (company), and agencies such as Ogilvy and WPP on commercial projects. The organization maintains ties with educational institutions like Rochester Institute of Technology, School of Visual Arts, Rhode Island School of Design, Columbia University School of the Arts, and Yale School of Art that train emerging photographers. Regional chapters and local groups coordinate with city governments in places such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Atlanta.

Professional Services and Publications

The organization produces standard contract templates, model licenses, and business guidance used by professionals working with publishers like Esquire (magazine), Vanity Fair, Wired (magazine), and Rolling Stone. It publishes magazines, guides, and newsletters akin to outlets such as American Photo, Bloomberg Businessweek, and The New Yorker in scope, and collaborates with service providers like Getty Images, Shutterstock, PIXTA, Alamy, and rights bodies such as ASCAP and BMI on metadata and licensing practices. The society’s resources address technical workflows associated with manufacturers and platforms including Canon Inc., Nikon Corporation, Sony, FujiFilm, Adobe Inc., and Phase One, and advise on distribution through channels like Vimeo, YouTube, and Getty Images. It also curates directories that professionals use to connect with editors at The Atlantic, art buyers at Saatchi Gallery, and creative directors at agencies such as TBWA and BBDO.

Advocacy and Legal Initiatives

The organization has been active in legal advocacy involving intellectual property law, working alongside litigants and counsel in cases that reference statutes like the Copyright Act of 1976 and institutions including the United States Copyright Office, Supreme Court of the United States, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and Federal Communications Commission. It has submitted amicus briefs and policy comments on matters similar to disputes involving Google LLC, Amazon (company), Facebook, Twitter, and Dropbox over image use, search caching, and licensing. The society engages with legislative processes in venues such as United States Congress committees and partners with organizations like Electronic Frontier Foundation, Public Knowledge, Creative Commons, and Copyright Alliance to influence outcomes on orphan works, DMCA safe harbors, and collective licensing. It advises members on contract negotiation in contexts involving companies like Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and corporate clients including Nike, Inc., Coca‑Cola Company, and Procter & Gamble.

Education and Events

Educational programming includes seminars, webinars, and conferences that bring together practitioners, curators, and industry representatives from institutions such as Museum of Modern Art, Tate Modern, Guggenheim Museum, and media outlets like The New York Times Company, BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, and NPR. Events have featured speakers drawn from portfolios for clients like National Geographic, Time (magazine), Getty Images, and agencies such as Ogilvy and Wieden+Kennedy. The society runs mentorships and workshops in partnership with schools like Rochester Institute of Technology, Pratt Institute, School of Visual Arts, and New York University and organizes trade shows and exhibits that align with events like Photokina, PMA (Photo Marketing Association) trade show, and Aperture Foundation programs. Regional chapter meetings connect members with local arts councils, galleries, and festivals including Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, SXSW, and Palm Springs Photo Festival.

Awards and Recognition

The organization administers awards, fellowships, and scholarships recognizing achievement in commercial, editorial, and fine art photography, comparable to honors given by Pulitzer Prize juries, World Press Photo Foundation, National Book Award committees, and institutional grants from National Endowment for the Arts and Guggenheim Fellowship panels. Recipients have included practitioners whose work appears in outlets such as National Geographic, The New Yorker, Vogue (magazine), Harper's Bazaar, and collections at Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art. The society’s recognition programs complement industry prizes from organizations like American Photography, PDN (Photo District News), ICP (International Center of Photography), and Royal Photographic Society.

Category:Photography organizations in the United States